ESTUDO COMPARATIVO SOBRE CONHECIMENTO ACERCA DA INCONTINÊNCIA URINÁRIA ENTRE MULHERES JOVENS E NO CLIMATÉRIO

Abstract

Urinary incontinence is the involuntary loss of urine and affects women of different age groups in a particularly impactful way. Despite its high prevalence, the taboo surrounding the topic and the lack of knowledge about its causes, prevention possibilities, and treatment modalities may lead women to neglect their self-care. Objective: This study aimed to compare the level of knowledge about urinary incontinence (UI) between young and climacteric women and to identify possible differences associated with sociodemographic and clinical factors. This is a cross-sectional, observational, and longitudinal study developed through the application of an instrument containing sociodemographic and clinical data, as well as questionnaires such as the International Consultation Incontinence Questionnaire (ICIQ-SF), the Incontinence Severity Index (ISI), and the Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Quiz (PIKQ). These instruments were used to measure, respectively, women's understanding of the causes, symptoms, prevention, and treatment of urinary incontinence, the impact of UI on quality of life, and the severity of UI. The results showed that young participants demonstrated a high level of knowledge about the condition, especially among women with higher income, when compared to climacteric women. A weak negative correlation was also observed between UI severity and knowledge about the topic among the women included in the study. Knowledge about urinary incontinence is greater among young women compared to climacteric women. Additionally, the severity of UI is higher among women who have poor knowledge of the condition. These findings highlight that lack of information may be harmful to self-care and may lead to negligence in seeking qualified treatment. Therefore, this study reinforces the importance of educational and health guidance actions aimed at women of different age groups.